Recently, I finished reading Laura Hillenbrand's book Unbroken: a World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. It follows Louis "Louie" Zamperini's life from childhood through the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games to World War II and his incarceration in a Japanese POW camp onto the end of his life in his nineties. Then I watched the movie based off the book that was directed and produced by Angelina Jolie which was a relatively faithful translation of the book, but frankly, a movie generally can't compare to a book in terms of content and information. This is one movie that would be really hard to make it more entertaining than the book. If it were just an action movie, you could just add more explosions or funnier lines, but since this was a based on a real life story, it is more complex than what you can put into a two hour film. It could have been a documentary to go into more aspects of Louie's life, but that wouldn't be enough Hollywood "glitz and glam."
I really like Hillenbrand's writing. It pulls you forward in the story with clear cut images. She does a lot of research which she incorporates well into the book. She did fifty-seven interviews with Louie himself before he died and with many others who knew the stories, including photos and documents that added to the interviews. She uses imagery, even in the titles of her chapters, that point to the core of each chapter.
The movie, although good, addressed the main parts of the book, but not in as much detail to do the book justice. They could have added at least thirty more minutes to cover the major parts at the end of his life. The movie didn't address the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) after the war or his religious renewal that helped him recover from the war. In the movie it makes it seem like he was still strong and "unbroken" but in the book Hillenbrand wrote about how he "broke" after the war explaining how he dealt with alcoholism due to PTSD, how he almost destroyed his marriage and lost his money. He went through a religious salvation by attending a Billy Graham revival encouraged by his wife who forced him to go. He was able to release his need for revenge toward the Bird that he had pent up all of those years, and go on with more purpose for his life. Sometimes the story isn't just about the triumph, but the story behind it that shows the work and the problems that people have to deal with.
Even though the movie is worth seeing, the book gives more to the reader to think about.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
Vacation Spots You Should Check Out: St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri is a pretty awesome vacation spot, especially if you stay downtown in the old Union Station that has been converted into a mall/hotel/Amtrak station. The architecture was attractive and the rooms were plush. It included a swimming pool, paddle boats to pedal around the lagoon, driving small boats around a course, and there were a lot of restaurants like the Hard Rock Cafe and others. The mall area had several things to offer. They make fudge in front of your eyes and sing to you; we bought some which was delicious. If you are a Harry Potter fan, there is a Platform 9 and 3/4 mural on the wall that looks like you could walk through it. Definitely get a picture by it like our family did! There was also historical information and exhibits about trains in the station too.
Besides visiting the Busch Stadium to see the St. Louis Cardinals and other major attractions, there are several other places that are inexpensive, especially for kids 13 and younger. The St. Louis Gateway Arch is worth seeing for the interesting historical exhibits about westward expansion, and a trip up in the "egg" conveyor to the top. The Arch is 630 feet which is taller than the Washington Monument in D.C. Be creative in taking pictures of it--it is ridiculously photogenic! If you get a chance, eat at the Olde Spaghetti Factory near the Arch because of the incredible spaghetti and atmosphere of the old building.
Another great spot for kids is the City Museum which is a really weird place to go because the creator had a crazy imagination and just keeps building strange jungle gym areas to explore. He's added airplane cockpits and balls pits and other outside areas that are made from mainly reclaimed materials. You can climb and crawl for a really long time in places that adults can't go.
Also, the old World's Fair Exhibition Gardens includes a zoo, science center, and art museum (but don't try to go to the art museum on Monday since it is closed). The zoo has a little train and a wide variety of animals to watch. Our family likes science centers, but there were a lot of interesting things to do at this one. For example, you can check the speed of cars with a speed gun over the highway from a bridge connecting the two buildings. You can build a Catenary Arch, like the real one, and work several robotics things, build with Legos, and work with Nanotechnology.
There are also two areas near to St. Louis that are named for Ulysses S. Grant: Grant's Farm (a bit expensive) and the National Historic Park (free). Kids can get junior ranger badges and see lots of animals including the Clydesdale horses and lots of historical artifacts from the 1800's.
Though it isn't too far away to travel, it makes for a well-rounded and fun vacation place for a long weekend or more.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
How online video has changed education
We all use the internet as a reference nowadays. But a few years back, people started using sites like YouTube to spread knowledge/teach lessons that would normally take a college class or tech school or a mentor to learn. This has started a "Maker" or DIY revolution across America, if not the free/civilized world opening up more education to anyone with a computer--educating and entertaining.
The first time I used the Internet to try to figure our how to do something was in my engineering class my freshman year. We were trying to make a train that could move its pistons on a track using Autodesk Inventor to design and animate it. Our teacher, Mr. Labs, gave us a YouTube address for a video on how to it, rather than having him show us. So, after several play-throughs of the video, I was finally able to get the wheels and train moving along the track. Doing it this way, with some teacher guidance, but relying on your own understanding using the video, it makes more a hands on approach to learning instead of just having someone lecture to you, and you copy it. Because you have to analyze it, the learning is ingrained in your brain more.
Recently, I've been experimenting with Autodesk Maya and 3DS Max to add animation to video. Since my brother has been many movies with his iPod over the summer, we wanted to make better effects to add to the live action. Looking at videos on the Internet and tutorial pages for the programs, I am beginning to learn how to use them.
Other sites, such as Khan Academy are also providing education tools, free online video lessons and courses.
The first time I used the Internet to try to figure our how to do something was in my engineering class my freshman year. We were trying to make a train that could move its pistons on a track using Autodesk Inventor to design and animate it. Our teacher, Mr. Labs, gave us a YouTube address for a video on how to it, rather than having him show us. So, after several play-throughs of the video, I was finally able to get the wheels and train moving along the track. Doing it this way, with some teacher guidance, but relying on your own understanding using the video, it makes more a hands on approach to learning instead of just having someone lecture to you, and you copy it. Because you have to analyze it, the learning is ingrained in your brain more.
Recently, I've been experimenting with Autodesk Maya and 3DS Max to add animation to video. Since my brother has been many movies with his iPod over the summer, we wanted to make better effects to add to the live action. Looking at videos on the Internet and tutorial pages for the programs, I am beginning to learn how to use them.
Other sites, such as Khan Academy are also providing education tools, free online video lessons and courses.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Special effects
To create movies of the quality we now expect, special effects houses have to use every trick in the book, from classic green-screen technologies to the creation of full artificial intelligence systems. It's no wonder special effects groups, such as Industrial Light and Magic, are as important in Hollywood as any producer or director.
However, special effects houses can't always just go out to Best Buy or go on Amazon to get the software that makes Hollywood amazing. Generally, larger special effects names spend as much time coding as they do on the artistic side, writing custom code to fix specific problems and bringing new effects to life. Sometimes these "projects" become products in their own right, as happened with Pixar's RenderMan, the engine behind not only the company's own films such as the Toy Story trilogy, ,Ratatouille, A Bug’s Life, and WALL-E, but also most major Hollywood blockbusters, including Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn, 4 of the Terminator movies (T2: Judgement Day, T3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator Salvation, and Terminator Genysis), Star Trek VI, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, the Jurassic Park quadrilogy, Speed, The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Twister, Independence Day, Titanic, Men in Black, Armageddon, the Star Wars prequels(The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith), The Matrix trilogy, Monsters Inc., the 7-movie Harry Potter series, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, X-Men (X2, III: Last Stand, First Class, and Days of Future Past), I-Robot, The Incredibles, Transformers, Mission Impossible 3 and Ghost Protocol, Iron Man 1, 2, and 3, Star Trek (2009), Avatar (2009 film), Pacific Rim, Interstellar, Edge of Tomorrow, Inside Out, Tommorowland, Captain America: The First Avenger and The Winter Soldier, Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Avengers, Ant-Man,and Avengers: Age of Ultron. (However, it didn't officially become RenderMan until after Toy Story.) This level of complexity makes it into more of an engineering project than a regular artistic one, but if not equally good, the artistic side fails. Pixar is a great demonstration of the two collaborating. When Toy Story came out, the primitive 3D graphics of the time didn't allow for the complex effects we're now used to seeing, so the company focused on the type of effects it could pull off--rigid-body figures, where "any weaknesses would simply contribute to the charm". As time progressed and technology improved, they introduced more realistic animation, mastered fur (Monsters Inc), and came up with the cartoon humans that made The Incredibles so much fun to watch. Every movie raised the stakes, but every movie became a hit.
The history of CGI in live-action films hasn't always been smooth. The earliest practical application of CGI was and still is thought to be the point-of-view sequences of Yul Brynner's robot gunslinger in Westworld, a 1973 futuristic western. But pre-1980s films didn't have much to work with, and even in the '80s, GUI computers were still new. In 1982 Tron was released, complete with real actors and the first fully computer-engineered 3D scenes. This legendary movie was the first truly CGI-heavy film, designed to play off the technology's weaknesses as well as its strengths. The producers encountered problems combining the real and computer worlds, making them relatively cohesive and seamless. After Tron, a variety of watershed films employed ever-more impressive CGI advancements, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade featuring the first all-composite scene to Terminator 2: Judgment Day's startling visuals of the T-1000. Terminator 2 marked the first use of natural human motion for a computer-created character. Its liquid metal effects, particularly in conjunction with the then-revolutionary morphing technology that would soon take over every film and commercial in sight, was a particular eye-opener, giving us a villain that combined the best technology from both 1991 and a post-apocalyptic 2029.
But it was Toy Story that really cemented CGI's place in the industry. While producing the film, Pixar grew from just 10 people to 150. This was a unheard-of number for a computer graphics project. 50 to 70 people were on the technical team, working under technical director Bill Reeves and animator John Lasseter. They were tasked with creating the program that would eventually become RenderMan.
Whether it's adding incredible characters and amazing scenery, removing human elements or simulating epic battles, CGI is now a staple component of modern movie making. As the regular tools of the trade are commercially available software packages, this only goes to show that the real skill of special effects lies in the artistic expression used rather than the sheer processing power and capablities of the technology.
P.S.
Applications available to the public vary in terms of price and capabilities. But you can get a non-commercial RenderMan for free on the RenderMan website.
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/world-of-tech/computing/how-special-effects-transformed-the-movies-590842
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_effect
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Vacation spots you should check out: California
Over the last few years, my family has been to many places in America including the Badlands in South Dakota, California, and Washington, D.C. But this post I'll talk about Northern California and the states on the way there via our driving tour.
Driving West we went to North Platte, Nebraska which for train lovers is a highlight since it has one of the biggest train classification yard in the world. The Golden Spike Observation Tower is a four-story tower that you can watch trains for hours on end, like my dad.
After Nebraska, we head to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a quick stop where we again checked out trains. We saw the Big Boy, a gigantic steam locomotive from the 1940s. You could spend time looking through the shops in the down town near the train station, especially Western styled art, like the giant boots all around.
Then we traveled to Steamboat Springs, Colorado where we saw oil rigs and steep terrain along the way. Steamboat Springs is a ski resort in the winter, but in the summer the climate is mild with beautiful scenery and touristy shops. Fish Creek Falls provided a pleasant hike that even my little brother in a wheelchair could enjoy. Passing through Salt Lake City, Utah we saw the Olympic Park, the Great Salt Lake which stunk, and the Salt Flats where they test world records for land speeds.
Finally, we made it to California where we went to the McClellan Aerospace Museum on the base. The Star Trek exhibit was there, and we could sit in the Captain's chair on the Original series bridge. Also, we could see a Borg up close and walk through the halls of the Enterprise D from the Next Generation. Then we toured the rest of the facility which housed a whole lot of planes, some of which we could enter, including a MiG, F-14D Tomcat, and a Blue Angels jet F-16.
Near to the airbase is Sacramento where we went to Sutter's Fort, not Sutter's Mill where they first found gold, and we saw blacksmiths, gunsmiths, and olden times stuff. The blacksmith was making a long knife for a fundraiser. We then drove into San Francisco over a bridge and began our site-seeing. We saw the U.S.S. Pampinito at Fisherman's Wharf, a World War II submarine. Across the Bay we could see Alcatraz, but no one wanted to go there. We also went to the Ghiradelli Chocolate shop and watched the cable cars since the lines were too long to go on. Next we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge to get to the visitor's center. It was awesome to see in person.
Our conference was in Santa Clara so it was next to the Intel Museum which had a clean room, the first micro-processor chip, and lots of manufacturing information like how to make silicon wafers. It was free and worth seeing. After the conference we went to Sequoia National Park where we saw some of the largest and oldest trees in the world. Of special note were the Iowa tree, fallen trees, and General Grant tree. Our next stop was Legoland California in Carlsbad which is further South. There were a lot of really cool Lego structures, and some rides, but mostly for kids younger than 10. We stopped at the Pacific Ocean which was surprisingly chilly, and we climbed the sand dunes, but only got a little in the water.
Overall, California was a good place to go because we got to see a lot of famous landmarks and a wide variety of things on the way there.
Driving West we went to North Platte, Nebraska which for train lovers is a highlight since it has one of the biggest train classification yard in the world. The Golden Spike Observation Tower is a four-story tower that you can watch trains for hours on end, like my dad.
After Nebraska, we head to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a quick stop where we again checked out trains. We saw the Big Boy, a gigantic steam locomotive from the 1940s. You could spend time looking through the shops in the down town near the train station, especially Western styled art, like the giant boots all around.
Then we traveled to Steamboat Springs, Colorado where we saw oil rigs and steep terrain along the way. Steamboat Springs is a ski resort in the winter, but in the summer the climate is mild with beautiful scenery and touristy shops. Fish Creek Falls provided a pleasant hike that even my little brother in a wheelchair could enjoy. Passing through Salt Lake City, Utah we saw the Olympic Park, the Great Salt Lake which stunk, and the Salt Flats where they test world records for land speeds.
Finally, we made it to California where we went to the McClellan Aerospace Museum on the base. The Star Trek exhibit was there, and we could sit in the Captain's chair on the Original series bridge. Also, we could see a Borg up close and walk through the halls of the Enterprise D from the Next Generation. Then we toured the rest of the facility which housed a whole lot of planes, some of which we could enter, including a MiG, F-14D Tomcat, and a Blue Angels jet F-16.
Near to the airbase is Sacramento where we went to Sutter's Fort, not Sutter's Mill where they first found gold, and we saw blacksmiths, gunsmiths, and olden times stuff. The blacksmith was making a long knife for a fundraiser. We then drove into San Francisco over a bridge and began our site-seeing. We saw the U.S.S. Pampinito at Fisherman's Wharf, a World War II submarine. Across the Bay we could see Alcatraz, but no one wanted to go there. We also went to the Ghiradelli Chocolate shop and watched the cable cars since the lines were too long to go on. Next we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge to get to the visitor's center. It was awesome to see in person.
Our conference was in Santa Clara so it was next to the Intel Museum which had a clean room, the first micro-processor chip, and lots of manufacturing information like how to make silicon wafers. It was free and worth seeing. After the conference we went to Sequoia National Park where we saw some of the largest and oldest trees in the world. Of special note were the Iowa tree, fallen trees, and General Grant tree. Our next stop was Legoland California in Carlsbad which is further South. There were a lot of really cool Lego structures, and some rides, but mostly for kids younger than 10. We stopped at the Pacific Ocean which was surprisingly chilly, and we climbed the sand dunes, but only got a little in the water.
Overall, California was a good place to go because we got to see a lot of famous landmarks and a wide variety of things on the way there.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
All-State Preparation
All-State auditions are coming up, and many kids across Iowa have been practicing their hearts out for a spot in this prestigious event held on the ISU campus in Ames in November. Auditioning is a rigorous process requiring several hours of practice each day on your instrument. At Kennedy High School our directors devote numerous periods of the day to help us through practice sessions and clinics.
One opportunity our directors offer are clinics which includes meeting regularly with other professional or experienced musicians to help us hone our skills. For example, the visiting instructor has us play our music, and then gives us feedback on how to practice better and what parts to practice. For instance, we have to prepare a solo, two etudes, and have 12 scales memorized, including our chromatic scale for the audition. Our solo and etudes have to showcase our individual playing ability and musicality, and our scales reflect our technical prowess. Not every school gives their students these opportunities. At Kennedy we are lucky to have such dedicated staff and parents who support the program, and Cedar Rapids has many talented musician close by to give these clinics.
One opportunity our directors offer are clinics which includes meeting regularly with other professional or experienced musicians to help us hone our skills. For example, the visiting instructor has us play our music, and then gives us feedback on how to practice better and what parts to practice. For instance, we have to prepare a solo, two etudes, and have 12 scales memorized, including our chromatic scale for the audition. Our solo and etudes have to showcase our individual playing ability and musicality, and our scales reflect our technical prowess. Not every school gives their students these opportunities. At Kennedy we are lucky to have such dedicated staff and parents who support the program, and Cedar Rapids has many talented musician close by to give these clinics.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
A family recipe: Jensen Pancakes
Direct from my dad's side of the family comes a interesting pancake recipe. According to my dad, the recipe has been around for 60+ years. His grandfather used it to cook pancakes for my grandfather and great-aunt back in the 50s and 60s.
This recipe requires a 8 cup bowl, a spoon, half a cup of Bisquick mix, half a cup of buckwheat flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, a can of cream style corn, one egg, a microwaved quarter cup of coconut oil, and about a quarter cup of milk.
After measuring the amounts of ingredients, cracking the egg and microwaving the coconut oil, mix the Bisquick mix, buckwheat flour, baking powder, cream corn, egg, and coconut oil in the bowl until it looks relatively uniform, then add the quarter cup of milk. To cook, set the stove burner to 5 for the first pancake, 4 for the second pancake, and 3 for the remaining pancakes. Then, pour the mix into the center of a big or medium frying pan (if it's a pan that can stick, either spray with oil or get some melted coconut oil and oil it with that), then fill about a third to half of the pan, using a spoon to spread the mix out and make it circular. Finally, wait for bubbles to form then flip the pancake over. For a double batch, double the amount of ingredients, including the number of cans of cream corn, number of eggs, and amount of milk.
You will need to make these pancakes several times to learn the correct proportions for the batter so as to obtain the right consistency and to learn how much heat is needed for your stove and pan.
My aunt sent my dad the directions, she knows it much better than either of us so i tried not to change the original text much. The basis directions can be found on a boxed pancake mix (She used to use a Aunt Jemima whole wheat mix). Substitute buckwheat flour for half of the mix (usually it ends up a cup of each), add about a tablespoon of baking powder to make up for what would have been in the prepared mix, add an egg and oil (think I used 1/4 c of coconut oil), a can of cream style corn, and milk till it is the right consistency. I usually add some drained whole kernel corn, 1/2 to a whole can depending on how much crunch you like in the pancakes.
Put about two spoonfuls of batter in a greased pan. You may need to tilt the pan or gently use the back of the spoon to spread it out some but you don't want it too thin (or thick). Usually the first pancake doesn't turn out all that well. You can start the pan with higher heat to get it warmed up but once you start cooking, you want to turn down the heat to medium or just a little above.
The idea is to be patient to let the batter heat up slowly so the baking powder can generate bubbles and make little holes for the butter and syrup. If the pan is too hot, the bottom will get too done before the holes have formed and if it is too cool, the bubbles won't form well. You'll have to experiment to learn how. If you turn it over too soon, the top will still be to soft and you'll squash the holes shut. The interior of the cake will not cook completely either and the pancake will taste doughy. Think about baking a cake in a pan - that's what you're doing.
Of course, the corn will tend to settle out so you'll need to stir just before spooning out some more batter. Left over batter can be covered and put in frig. You may need to stir in a little more baking soda before using and maybe some more milk. Obviously if you get the batter too thin, you can just sprinkle in some more buckwheat. You could also cook up the left overs, put wax paper between pancakes and slip them into plastic bag and then into frig or freezer. They should microwave ok after you've put some butter and sorghum on them. I just generally fry them since I'm going to need to fry an egg too.
Of course, once you flip the pancake onto a plate (best if prewarmed but not necessary) so the hot side with the holes is up, buttering can begin and then an over-easy egg dropped on top so the yolk can run into the holes along with a little sorghum (or molasses) to be a true Jensen pancake. With the egg, there really doesn't have to be a lot of syrup. I know the kids are used to maple syrup but if you can get them to try one bite of pancake topped the right way, they may see the error of their previous eating.
So, please comment and if you make them, let me know how they turn out!:)
Big thanks to my dad, Brice, and Aunt Nancy!
This recipe requires a 8 cup bowl, a spoon, half a cup of Bisquick mix, half a cup of buckwheat flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, a can of cream style corn, one egg, a microwaved quarter cup of coconut oil, and about a quarter cup of milk.
After measuring the amounts of ingredients, cracking the egg and microwaving the coconut oil, mix the Bisquick mix, buckwheat flour, baking powder, cream corn, egg, and coconut oil in the bowl until it looks relatively uniform, then add the quarter cup of milk. To cook, set the stove burner to 5 for the first pancake, 4 for the second pancake, and 3 for the remaining pancakes. Then, pour the mix into the center of a big or medium frying pan (if it's a pan that can stick, either spray with oil or get some melted coconut oil and oil it with that), then fill about a third to half of the pan, using a spoon to spread the mix out and make it circular. Finally, wait for bubbles to form then flip the pancake over. For a double batch, double the amount of ingredients, including the number of cans of cream corn, number of eggs, and amount of milk.
You will need to make these pancakes several times to learn the correct proportions for the batter so as to obtain the right consistency and to learn how much heat is needed for your stove and pan.
My aunt sent my dad the directions, she knows it much better than either of us so i tried not to change the original text much. The basis directions can be found on a boxed pancake mix (She used to use a Aunt Jemima whole wheat mix). Substitute buckwheat flour for half of the mix (usually it ends up a cup of each), add about a tablespoon of baking powder to make up for what would have been in the prepared mix, add an egg and oil (think I used 1/4 c of coconut oil), a can of cream style corn, and milk till it is the right consistency. I usually add some drained whole kernel corn, 1/2 to a whole can depending on how much crunch you like in the pancakes.
Put about two spoonfuls of batter in a greased pan. You may need to tilt the pan or gently use the back of the spoon to spread it out some but you don't want it too thin (or thick). Usually the first pancake doesn't turn out all that well. You can start the pan with higher heat to get it warmed up but once you start cooking, you want to turn down the heat to medium or just a little above.
The idea is to be patient to let the batter heat up slowly so the baking powder can generate bubbles and make little holes for the butter and syrup. If the pan is too hot, the bottom will get too done before the holes have formed and if it is too cool, the bubbles won't form well. You'll have to experiment to learn how. If you turn it over too soon, the top will still be to soft and you'll squash the holes shut. The interior of the cake will not cook completely either and the pancake will taste doughy. Think about baking a cake in a pan - that's what you're doing.
Of course, the corn will tend to settle out so you'll need to stir just before spooning out some more batter. Left over batter can be covered and put in frig. You may need to stir in a little more baking soda before using and maybe some more milk. Obviously if you get the batter too thin, you can just sprinkle in some more buckwheat. You could also cook up the left overs, put wax paper between pancakes and slip them into plastic bag and then into frig or freezer. They should microwave ok after you've put some butter and sorghum on them. I just generally fry them since I'm going to need to fry an egg too.
Of course, once you flip the pancake onto a plate (best if prewarmed but not necessary) so the hot side with the holes is up, buttering can begin and then an over-easy egg dropped on top so the yolk can run into the holes along with a little sorghum (or molasses) to be a true Jensen pancake. With the egg, there really doesn't have to be a lot of syrup. I know the kids are used to maple syrup but if you can get them to try one bite of pancake topped the right way, they may see the error of their previous eating.
So, please comment and if you make them, let me know how they turn out!:)
Big thanks to my dad, Brice, and Aunt Nancy!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Avengers: Age of Ultron Review
Avengers: Age of Ultron, the second installment of Avengers came out on DVD and Blu-ray a couple weeks ago. I happened to see it when it was in the theaters this summer which was cooler since the sound in general is better, and the images had more impact. However, it is definitely worth seeing at home on your smaller screen.
The movie continued the story set out in the individual franchise movies like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, in addition to the first Avengers movie. Developing the characters with more depth and including the plotlines of the other movies. For instance, the Bruce Banner/Tony Stark relationship of geeky-science-bro was expanded in Age of Ultron where they got to work together on their artificial intelligence project. We learn more about what happened to Black Widow/Natasha Romanov when she was being trained by the Russians in the Red Room, which strangely has ties to Agent Carter storylines from season one. We also find out that Hawkeye has a secret life beyond the Avengers and SHIELD that Nick Fury has helped him hide. All of these relationships and more tie into the plot well and make you more interested in the characters.
Another thing Marvel does well is adding humor to both their characters and the situations that they get in. For example, Tony Stark bugs Captain America throughout the movie for chastising Tony for his colorful language which either shows Capt's age and shows his "goodie-good" quality or shows Stark's crassness. Other characters also mirror Stark's teasing behavior to Capt. Also, some of the minor heroes or "sidekicks" like Falcon and War Machine provide humor too. Since they are more down-to-earth, the Avengers act like their sidekicks don't do much important work, but they are still amazing to the public. The relationship between Quicksilver and Hawkeye is antagonistic in the beginning, but it grows in some interesting ways.
Continuing the tradition of inspired villians, Ultron (voiced by James Spader) is hypnotic in his speaking and intellectually creepy. He isn't alone as a challenge to the Avengers. They also face the Twins and another branch of Hydra, albeit, not for very long.
Finally, the plotline ties into the entire Marvel Universe really well including one more infinity stone--so stay around for the very end credit scene, not just the mid-credit one! Agents of SHIELD tied this new season and the end of last season into Ultron which comes as a surprise in the show. Even though Pepper Potts and Jane Foster are not actually in Ultron, they are still referred to and given updates on them in a friendly argument between Tony Stark and Thor.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys hero movies and science fiction with a bit of humor.
The movie continued the story set out in the individual franchise movies like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, in addition to the first Avengers movie. Developing the characters with more depth and including the plotlines of the other movies. For instance, the Bruce Banner/Tony Stark relationship of geeky-science-bro was expanded in Age of Ultron where they got to work together on their artificial intelligence project. We learn more about what happened to Black Widow/Natasha Romanov when she was being trained by the Russians in the Red Room, which strangely has ties to Agent Carter storylines from season one. We also find out that Hawkeye has a secret life beyond the Avengers and SHIELD that Nick Fury has helped him hide. All of these relationships and more tie into the plot well and make you more interested in the characters.
Another thing Marvel does well is adding humor to both their characters and the situations that they get in. For example, Tony Stark bugs Captain America throughout the movie for chastising Tony for his colorful language which either shows Capt's age and shows his "goodie-good" quality or shows Stark's crassness. Other characters also mirror Stark's teasing behavior to Capt. Also, some of the minor heroes or "sidekicks" like Falcon and War Machine provide humor too. Since they are more down-to-earth, the Avengers act like their sidekicks don't do much important work, but they are still amazing to the public. The relationship between Quicksilver and Hawkeye is antagonistic in the beginning, but it grows in some interesting ways.
Continuing the tradition of inspired villians, Ultron (voiced by James Spader) is hypnotic in his speaking and intellectually creepy. He isn't alone as a challenge to the Avengers. They also face the Twins and another branch of Hydra, albeit, not for very long.
Finally, the plotline ties into the entire Marvel Universe really well including one more infinity stone--so stay around for the very end credit scene, not just the mid-credit one! Agents of SHIELD tied this new season and the end of last season into Ultron which comes as a surprise in the show. Even though Pepper Potts and Jane Foster are not actually in Ultron, they are still referred to and given updates on them in a friendly argument between Tony Stark and Thor.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys hero movies and science fiction with a bit of humor.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Online Video Games You Might Have Missed: Star Trek Online, Galactic Civilizations III, and Clash of Clans
Ever since the advent of the graphical user interface (and even before), software developers have made games for those operating systems. And with the explosive expansion of the availability and the market for computer parts and custom built computers has made high performance gaming a common-place occurrence around the world.
One of the games I like to play is Star Trek Online. This is an excellent game because it extends the main-line Star Trek universe through the Hobus event that destroyed Romulus (see Star Trek 2009 for reference) and beyond. The storyline is well thought out, incorporating references and characters from the earlier TV shows and movies(Star Trek Voyager, Next Generation, The Original Series, the movies). In-game, you can choose between 3 factions; Federation, Klingon, or Romulan; and then specialize in one of three subject areas, Science, Engineering, or Tactical. Although it is kind of restrained in the areas of spontaneity and a full Trek experience, it is quite fun, allowing you to participate in large-scale space battles, time-travel, continue to explore strange new worlds, and seek out new civilizations.
Another game is Galactic Civilizations III. This is truly a galactic "Civilization" game because you can colonize new planets, establish starbases that can collect resources, become an extension of your civilization, or become military outposts, conduct large scale operations with huge fleets of starships, and expand your territory through diplomacy or war. It also allows you to build your own ships. I really like the ability to modify the game, allowing me to be whatever and do whatever I want. If you like sci-fi civilization building games, I highly recommend this game.
Another one of my favorite games is Clash of Clans. It's strange how this simple game could have become so popular in so little time, having been released in the summer of 2012. This game is a city building and battling game that uses a theme that draws elements from D+D, magic(not the game), other city-building games, and the Middle Ages. I was introduced to it by my uncle Bryan who lived in Pennsylvania at the time. He showed my brothers and me how to build villages and battle with Barbarians, Archers, Goblins, Giants, and more. The commercials to promote it are very funny and appealed to us. It was appealing to connect with people around the world, including my uncle who lived far away. The clan wars update was very impressive, I mean, now clans have a reason for being other than troop support. Battling together against another clan allows you to get more money to build. I like to war with my family in Clash, too, since we all play it.
All in all, computer games are an excellent time-kill and something to do to relax.
One of the games I like to play is Star Trek Online. This is an excellent game because it extends the main-line Star Trek universe through the Hobus event that destroyed Romulus (see Star Trek 2009 for reference) and beyond. The storyline is well thought out, incorporating references and characters from the earlier TV shows and movies(Star Trek Voyager, Next Generation, The Original Series, the movies). In-game, you can choose between 3 factions; Federation, Klingon, or Romulan; and then specialize in one of three subject areas, Science, Engineering, or Tactical. Although it is kind of restrained in the areas of spontaneity and a full Trek experience, it is quite fun, allowing you to participate in large-scale space battles, time-travel, continue to explore strange new worlds, and seek out new civilizations.
Another game is Galactic Civilizations III. This is truly a galactic "Civilization" game because you can colonize new planets, establish starbases that can collect resources, become an extension of your civilization, or become military outposts, conduct large scale operations with huge fleets of starships, and expand your territory through diplomacy or war. It also allows you to build your own ships. I really like the ability to modify the game, allowing me to be whatever and do whatever I want. If you like sci-fi civilization building games, I highly recommend this game.
Another one of my favorite games is Clash of Clans. It's strange how this simple game could have become so popular in so little time, having been released in the summer of 2012. This game is a city building and battling game that uses a theme that draws elements from D+D, magic(not the game), other city-building games, and the Middle Ages. I was introduced to it by my uncle Bryan who lived in Pennsylvania at the time. He showed my brothers and me how to build villages and battle with Barbarians, Archers, Goblins, Giants, and more. The commercials to promote it are very funny and appealed to us. It was appealing to connect with people around the world, including my uncle who lived far away. The clan wars update was very impressive, I mean, now clans have a reason for being other than troop support. Battling together against another clan allows you to get more money to build. I like to war with my family in Clash, too, since we all play it.
All in all, computer games are an excellent time-kill and something to do to relax.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Wireless Beats Can't Be "Beat"
Since buying my PowerBeats2, I'm rarely seen without them since they are so lightweight and comfortable, well, plus they cost me a lot of money. Although there may be cheaper or better quality wireless earbuds, PowerBeats2 offers the best all around of this style of earbud. It combines superior quality sound with durability, comfort and style.
Of all the earbuds I've owned, my Beats have the best overall sound. They have crisp highs and excellent bass. When listening to something, it has a balanced sound through both sides. It has a good range if you have a line of sight connection to your mobile device, at least twenty feet, but sometimes it gets choppy if you there's too much physical interference with the Bluetooth connection. Instrumental music like movie soundtracks and swing jazz are balanced between both sides of your earphone. However, in some rock music, like AC/DC, usually one side is louder than the other, and it can be strange sounding, but there tends to be more bass in those kinds of music.
Another aspect is durability. I've had these earbuds for about a year, and I've dropped them several times. However, they are still working as well as when I got them. Because they are wireless, they don't have the wear and tear as the regular headphones because they don't "weak points" from being bent and twisted. Since there isn't a long cord, they don't get caught on things which can cause damage.
A final aspect of my Beats is the style. They are designed with sleek lines, plus futuristic curves. The earpiece curves around your outer ear to keep it secure without smothering you ear like some other full head-set styles. It is lightweight and compact so you can wear them all the time. They aren't waterproof, but were designed to wear while playing sports so they are sweat resistant. They come in multiple colors to choose from including white/grey, black/red, and blue/white.
So, if you aren't worried about splurging a little bit, Powerbeats2 are well recommended to any consumer.
Of all the earbuds I've owned, my Beats have the best overall sound. They have crisp highs and excellent bass. When listening to something, it has a balanced sound through both sides. It has a good range if you have a line of sight connection to your mobile device, at least twenty feet, but sometimes it gets choppy if you there's too much physical interference with the Bluetooth connection. Instrumental music like movie soundtracks and swing jazz are balanced between both sides of your earphone. However, in some rock music, like AC/DC, usually one side is louder than the other, and it can be strange sounding, but there tends to be more bass in those kinds of music.
Another aspect is durability. I've had these earbuds for about a year, and I've dropped them several times. However, they are still working as well as when I got them. Because they are wireless, they don't have the wear and tear as the regular headphones because they don't "weak points" from being bent and twisted. Since there isn't a long cord, they don't get caught on things which can cause damage.
A final aspect of my Beats is the style. They are designed with sleek lines, plus futuristic curves. The earpiece curves around your outer ear to keep it secure without smothering you ear like some other full head-set styles. It is lightweight and compact so you can wear them all the time. They aren't waterproof, but were designed to wear while playing sports so they are sweat resistant. They come in multiple colors to choose from including white/grey, black/red, and blue/white.
So, if you aren't worried about splurging a little bit, Powerbeats2 are well recommended to any consumer.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Valleyfest Showdown XXXVI
Aside from being the main entertainment of the football game (though kudos to the undefeated Kennedy football team this year!), marching band has developed a competitive culture that includes competitions at the regional and state level. This weekend the Kennedy High School marching band competed at the Valleyfest Showdown XXXVI an invitational at West Des Moines Valley High School.
It was very entertaining to see all the great bands including CR Washington, LinnMar, CR Jefferson, and Prairie from Eastern Iowa, as well as Dowling, Johnston, and Ankeny from Central Iowa. Show music varied from spooky, voodooey selections by Bellevue West Nebraska to swing music by the Pella Marching Dutch. The Cedar Rapids bands also had a variety of music including Washington marching to music from Les Miserables, and LinnMar doing a theme of Transfiguration which took one of the songs used by the Kennedy band who performed selections from the musical, Jekyl and Hyde.
Unlike in the past, this year's Valleyfest was relatively warm. Regularly, we have to keep our instruments constantly warm or they will freeze, as I learned my freshman and sophomore years. We didn't have to multiply layers of clothing, two sweatshirts, and a blanket to stay warm in the stands while watching the other performances, either.
The highlight of the night for many people was Kennedy performing. The opener, "Prologue", "Take Me As I Am," and "I Need to Know," kicked off our performance. McKenna Woods soloed on flute for the ballad, "Once Upon a Dream," (the song that LinnMar stole from us) which was beautiful beyond words. As we ended our show, the crowd erupted with cheers and applause for our closer, "Murder, Murder!, World Gone Insane, & Confrontation." We finished fourth, our highest rank since 2002, overall. We finished as the top ranked band from Cedar Rapids, and the second ranked in the state at Valley.
We have improved tremendously from August band camp, and we got here through long hours and much practice.
It was very entertaining to see all the great bands including CR Washington, LinnMar, CR Jefferson, and Prairie from Eastern Iowa, as well as Dowling, Johnston, and Ankeny from Central Iowa. Show music varied from spooky, voodooey selections by Bellevue West Nebraska to swing music by the Pella Marching Dutch. The Cedar Rapids bands also had a variety of music including Washington marching to music from Les Miserables, and LinnMar doing a theme of Transfiguration which took one of the songs used by the Kennedy band who performed selections from the musical, Jekyl and Hyde.
Unlike in the past, this year's Valleyfest was relatively warm. Regularly, we have to keep our instruments constantly warm or they will freeze, as I learned my freshman and sophomore years. We didn't have to multiply layers of clothing, two sweatshirts, and a blanket to stay warm in the stands while watching the other performances, either.
The highlight of the night for many people was Kennedy performing. The opener, "Prologue", "Take Me As I Am," and "I Need to Know," kicked off our performance. McKenna Woods soloed on flute for the ballad, "Once Upon a Dream," (the song that LinnMar stole from us) which was beautiful beyond words. As we ended our show, the crowd erupted with cheers and applause for our closer, "Murder, Murder!, World Gone Insane, & Confrontation." We finished fourth, our highest rank since 2002, overall. We finished as the top ranked band from Cedar Rapids, and the second ranked in the state at Valley.
We have improved tremendously from August band camp, and we got here through long hours and much practice.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Donald Trump: A circus spectacle
Real estate and entertainment mogul, Donald Trump, as you may have noticed, has been in the news. After a series of alleged dirty deals with Italian-American mafia, he has gained a large popular through his reality tv show, "The Apprentice." Because of this it has somehow turned his tarnished image around so that he is the front-runner of the Republican nominees for president.
Although he says crazy things in public like, ""He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured." –Trump on John McCain, or “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. . . . They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people,”on immigration, he wants to inflame the Republican voters to get them on his side and to raise his numbers in the polls. These statements are shocking since they are so blunt and politically incorrect that rational people don't know how to respond to them. He promotes incorrect information about Obama and the global climate change problems in the same way he promotes a tv show or beauty pageant, with repetition, glitz, and vagueness. But, running our country is NOT a beauty pageant. It is real life, and too complex for him just promote himself and his ideas.
This raving lunatic has been voicing the deepest, darkest thoughts and ideals of the Right-wing, and the scary thing is, people are agreeing with him. He is voicing these things just to get attention. His power and wealth allow him to say these things with no or little repercussion. His presence in media and television have made him well known, and because of this, he has an impact on more people because they assume that since he is rich, he would know what he is doing to run the country and the economy. As expected, he doesn't promote that he has had alleged shady dealings with mafia and that four of his companies went bankrupt, proving his ineptitude for running our country.
As president, you are supposed to be a public servant. Donald Trump is not this. He has an ego the size of a galaxy, and he has a selfish, self-serving personality to match. He uses social media and television to flaunt his ego and wealth. By what he is saying about how he would act in office shows his ego since he seems to believe that by the shear force of his personality, he will change the government and country. He has an "ends justifies the means" attitude in business where he doesn't care what happens to other people, as long as he is on top and the "winner." Doesn't sound like someone who would think of the people of the country first.
To prove that he is really only in this for the publicity, he treated the conservatives to a potential run several years back, and that he'll drop out if his polls drop.
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/donald-trumps-craziest-quotes-the-2016-presidential-hopeful-speaks-201568
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-polls_5611856fe4b07681270265d5
Although he says crazy things in public like, ""He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured." –Trump on John McCain, or “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. . . . They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people,”on immigration, he wants to inflame the Republican voters to get them on his side and to raise his numbers in the polls. These statements are shocking since they are so blunt and politically incorrect that rational people don't know how to respond to them. He promotes incorrect information about Obama and the global climate change problems in the same way he promotes a tv show or beauty pageant, with repetition, glitz, and vagueness. But, running our country is NOT a beauty pageant. It is real life, and too complex for him just promote himself and his ideas.
This raving lunatic has been voicing the deepest, darkest thoughts and ideals of the Right-wing, and the scary thing is, people are agreeing with him. He is voicing these things just to get attention. His power and wealth allow him to say these things with no or little repercussion. His presence in media and television have made him well known, and because of this, he has an impact on more people because they assume that since he is rich, he would know what he is doing to run the country and the economy. As expected, he doesn't promote that he has had alleged shady dealings with mafia and that four of his companies went bankrupt, proving his ineptitude for running our country.
As president, you are supposed to be a public servant. Donald Trump is not this. He has an ego the size of a galaxy, and he has a selfish, self-serving personality to match. He uses social media and television to flaunt his ego and wealth. By what he is saying about how he would act in office shows his ego since he seems to believe that by the shear force of his personality, he will change the government and country. He has an "ends justifies the means" attitude in business where he doesn't care what happens to other people, as long as he is on top and the "winner." Doesn't sound like someone who would think of the people of the country first.
To prove that he is really only in this for the publicity, he treated the conservatives to a potential run several years back, and that he'll drop out if his polls drop.
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/donald-trumps-craziest-quotes-the-2016-presidential-hopeful-speaks-201568
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-polls_5611856fe4b07681270265d5
Saturday, October 3, 2015
A review of Nice People (2015 play)
Kennedy High School had the honor of premiering a Iowa-written play, Nice People. It premiered on October first at 7:00, along with repeat showings on the second and third and an unplanned 4th showing on Thursday. The play was written by a Kennedy graduate, Alosha Robinson. The play was workshopped this summer, after multiple drafts, which began during Robinson's senior year.
The play is about several people who are cheating on their partners due to a bad relationship. They find other people that click with them better, and most everyone ends up happy. Most of the characters exist in their own self-centered world, other than Ron Dorrow, played by Caleb Marner, who sees that there could be better things in life to make life great, not just fine. The main character, Daniel Harkin, is played by Brennan Urbi, who happens to be an excellent actor. Daniel is a self-centered, egotistical man-whore who has no respect for people's personal space, and appears to be completely unaware of that. His wife, Melinda, is a shrill(when she's angry), emotional, and passionate woman with a temper. She leaves Daniel for Blaine Redbrick, played by James Tolly. Blaine is not the brightest chap, but still. Blaine eventually ends up with Monica Lucce, played by Maia Bennett. Daniel was cheating on Melinda with her until she and Blaine wisk each other away. Melinda ends up with Robert Scrood, played by Cameron Currie. Robert is a run-of-mill, oh, what's the word... Jocular pervert? I don't know, but he obviously doesn't care very much about work, instead focusing his mind and body on the pursuit of women. Nobody in the play likes Ron Darrow, but the audience feels for him because he is the constant emotional punching bag for these people.
I read the Kennedy Torch article on this, where they got Robinson's perspective and insight on the play. His original idea for the play stemmed from his love of farces, which he acquired when he did 'Rumors' his senior year. “I’ve always loved farces, I’ve always loved comedy,” Robinson said. “We did ‘Rumors’ here my senior year, and I ended up reading a lot of farces because I’m really into that. Kind of the premise of a farce is entrances and exits, everybody’s hiding, everybody’s having sex with everybody, everybody’s lying to everybody, and the initial idea for the play was I wanted to kind of take a play that hyper-inflated the traits of a farce. I just wanted to play with the things that I love about a farce.” He wrote this play in response to a question he asked himself, "How would a anti-farcical person operate in a farcical universe?"
The play is about several people who are cheating on their partners due to a bad relationship. They find other people that click with them better, and most everyone ends up happy. Most of the characters exist in their own self-centered world, other than Ron Dorrow, played by Caleb Marner, who sees that there could be better things in life to make life great, not just fine. The main character, Daniel Harkin, is played by Brennan Urbi, who happens to be an excellent actor. Daniel is a self-centered, egotistical man-whore who has no respect for people's personal space, and appears to be completely unaware of that. His wife, Melinda, is a shrill(when she's angry), emotional, and passionate woman with a temper. She leaves Daniel for Blaine Redbrick, played by James Tolly. Blaine is not the brightest chap, but still. Blaine eventually ends up with Monica Lucce, played by Maia Bennett. Daniel was cheating on Melinda with her until she and Blaine wisk each other away. Melinda ends up with Robert Scrood, played by Cameron Currie. Robert is a run-of-mill, oh, what's the word... Jocular pervert? I don't know, but he obviously doesn't care very much about work, instead focusing his mind and body on the pursuit of women. Nobody in the play likes Ron Darrow, but the audience feels for him because he is the constant emotional punching bag for these people.
I read the Kennedy Torch article on this, where they got Robinson's perspective and insight on the play. His original idea for the play stemmed from his love of farces, which he acquired when he did 'Rumors' his senior year. “I’ve always loved farces, I’ve always loved comedy,” Robinson said. “We did ‘Rumors’ here my senior year, and I ended up reading a lot of farces because I’m really into that. Kind of the premise of a farce is entrances and exits, everybody’s hiding, everybody’s having sex with everybody, everybody’s lying to everybody, and the initial idea for the play was I wanted to kind of take a play that hyper-inflated the traits of a farce. I just wanted to play with the things that I love about a farce.” He wrote this play in response to a question he asked himself, "How would a anti-farcical person operate in a farcical universe?"
On Thursday, he got to watch his vision unfold as the Drama dept. at Kennedy performed it. “I’m just exceptionally proud of what these guys have done it," he said, "You’ve just got to invest yourself entirely and these kids are insanely talented, I can’t imagine such a talented bunch of kids. I couldn’t be more happy and thrilled with what I saw tonight, I’m so proud of them. I can’t imagine it any other way now.”
But, to know more, go see the show. Overall, it was a very funny, very crazy show, with lots of laughs.
But, to know more, go see the show. Overall, it was a very funny, very crazy show, with lots of laughs.
Links:
http://kennedytorch.org/10833/artsculture/back-in-the-black-box/
Friday, October 2, 2015
CR Museum of Art: the Ryan Bentzinger exhibit and ICON featured artists exhibit
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is opening a new exhibit on October 3rd, running it through January 17th, 2016. This new exhibit showcases artwork by Ryan Bentzinger, for his first of five graphic novels, entitled nAMUH (Human backwards). Rayn is 26 years old and lives in Iowa City. He uses watercolors to paint each "scene" of the book, essentially creating a cinematic "storyboard" of his book. He takes elements of a Lord of the Rings fellowship, Dungeons and Dragons, magic, etc. and combines them into this graphic novel.
It takes place in a post-apocalyptic realm, which is divided into three "levels". The lowest level is The Rere Islands which consists of the sea, Blur, and 5 islands, Criime, Povertee, Salvaj, Lazee, and Kretivitee. The 2nd level consists of Dolg City, the Smog, and Sucksess. The Hevens is the 3rd and final level. All these are connected by the Ladder of Konfidense.
The prologue to the story is a series of apocalyptic events that happen from 2027-2233. These events include loss of the ozone layer, higher solar+other radiation levels, etc. Eventually, the human population has to escape due to adverse conditions.
I talked with Ryan, and he told me he drew these originally so he would know what to draw everyday when he was in collage. He based the world off society, exaggerating it exponentially, and all the characters off his friends and their personalities. The first book is almost done and the 2nd book is going to be worked on for the next 2 years.
It takes place in a post-apocalyptic realm, which is divided into three "levels". The lowest level is The Rere Islands which consists of the sea, Blur, and 5 islands, Criime, Povertee, Salvaj, Lazee, and Kretivitee. The 2nd level consists of Dolg City, the Smog, and Sucksess. The Hevens is the 3rd and final level. All these are connected by the Ladder of Konfidense.
The prologue to the story is a series of apocalyptic events that happen from 2027-2233. These events include loss of the ozone layer, higher solar+other radiation levels, etc. Eventually, the human population has to escape due to adverse conditions.
I talked with Ryan, and he told me he drew these originally so he would know what to draw everyday when he was in collage. He based the world off society, exaggerating it exponentially, and all the characters off his friends and their personalities. The first book is almost done and the 2nd book is going to be worked on for the next 2 years.
Another exhibit also opened, featuring several Iowa CON (ICON) artists, on September 12, 2015 to January 3rd, 2016. This exhibit showcases 10 ICON Artist Guests of Honor's work. As a sidenote, ICON is Iowa's longest running science-fiction and fantasy convention, and this year is it's 40th anniversary.
So, come to the CR Museum of Art to see some great artwork from Iowa artists.
So, come to the CR Museum of Art to see some great artwork from Iowa artists.
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